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(N0 Model.)

B A. BURDICK. APPARATUS FOR CURING TOBACCO Patented Jan. 31,1882.

UNITED STATES rarest ATENI EDWIN A. BUIIDIOK, OF SPRINGFIELD,MASSACHUSETTS. ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES S. PHILIPS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUSQFOR CURING TO BACCO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 252,926, dated January31, 1822,

Application filed November 21, 1881. (X0 model) To all whom it mayconcern Be it known that I, EDWIN A. BUnDioK, a citizen oftheUnitedStates, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatusfor (luring Tobacco, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in steamgenerating devices fortobacco curing apparatus, and in devices for automatically providing anadequate and constant water-sup ply therefor, the object being toobviate the necessity of using an evaporating-pan in such apparatus, toprovide a constant supply of water automatically supplied to theevaporating devices, and for conducting the water of condensation fromthe steam-chamber to a proper receptacle, from which it again passes tothe steam-generating apparatus.

In the drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1illustrates a tobacco-curing apparatus embodying my improvements. Fig. 2is a view of one side of the steam-box with its outer wall removed.

In the drawings, A is the steam-box or ouring-chamber. m indicates aslat floor therein. a is an inclined bottom. 1) indicates a case oftobacco. c is a drain-pipe. 0 is a water-receptacle. (l is a reservoir.0 is an air pipe. 6 is a water-pipe, leading from reservoir d toreceptacle 0. w is a pipe-coil, one end leading from said receptacle andthe other terminating in the curing-chamber A. B is a stove.

The curing-chamberAis constructed ofproper form and materials toconstitute a suitable receptacle for the reception of one or more cases,b, containing tobacco, or for otherwise placing leaf-tobacco therein,and ismade to retain steam, which is discharged into it, with little orno loss, having a proper door or doors through which access isconveniently had with its interior, and is provided with a slat or openfloor, m, upon which the case b rests. An inclined interior bottom orfloor is constructed in chamber A, which pitches from one side to theother, and each side thereof is higher than its center, thus presentingan upper surface,

upon which water will be conducted to its center at one end, and at thispoint the drain-pipe c is connected to said bottom to convey watertherefrom through the side of saidchamber to the receptacle 0.

A water-reservoir, (l, constructed tobe hermetically closed after havingbeen partially filled with water, is placed by the side of the chamber Aand above the receptacle 0. Said reservoir is supplied with waterthrough a short pipe, which is supplied with a stopcoclgc and has thefunnel a thereon, or by any other suitable means, and is filled nearlyfull, as shown, to about line m An air-pipe, c, is fixed in the bottomof reservoir (l, and from thence one end reaches nearly to the topthereof and above the surface of the water-supply therein, and its lowerend runs down into the receptacle 0, below a fixed water-line therein, acook, 6 being placed in said pipe below said reservoir, whereby thepassage through said pipe may be closed.

A pipe, i, provided with a stop-cock, 6 connects the lower part ofreservoir (1 withthe water-receptacle 0, entering the latter below T thewater-line w thereof. A coiled pipe, 10, is placed in the stove B, theend thereof from its lower side being connected with the waterreceptacle0 just above its bottom, and the'end from its upper side passing throughthe side of chamberA, and extending nearly across the latter over andjust above the inclined floor a, said part of pipe to within saidchamber having its sides perforated, as shown, and its end capped.

The operation of my apparatus in curing tobacco by exposing it to theaction of steam, heat, and moisture, while inclosed in a case, b, is asfollows: The reservoir cl is filled with water about to line or to aheight below the end of pipe 0 therein, the stop-cocks e and c in pipese and i having been first closed, and the water-receptacle 0 is filledwith Water up to its water-line 00. In so filling said receptacle thepipe-coil w in the stove B will be also filled with water through theend thereof connecting with said receptacle, the water-line w in thelatter being somewhat higher than the upper side of said coil; also, thewater in receptacle 0, when supplied thereto as aforesaid, will seal theend of the drain-pipe 0 leading from the lowest part of floor n withinchamber A, through the side of said receptacle,

and the ends of pipes c and ileading from reservoir (I. The stop-cocks cand c in pipes c and i are now opened; but since the cock 0 in thefunnel-pipe on the top of the reservoir is closed, and the lower end ofpipe 0 is cosed by its being immersed in the water in receptacle 0, thewater in said reservoir cannot run through pipe 1' into said receptacle,because no air is admitted into the reservoir. The apparatus is now in astate of readinessto have a fire started in stove B, and to have a vaseof tobacco, I), placed within chamber A, to have steam applied thereto,as above described, and those having been done, it will be found thatalmost immediately steam will be generated rapidly in coil 10, anddischarged into chamber A through the perforated portion of saidcoil-pipe therein, filling said chamber and surroutuling said case bwith a dense body ofsteam. Muchot'thesteamsodischargedinto chamber Awill be condensed, and the water of condensation, falling upon theinclined bottom 12, will be carried through pipe a into the receptacle0, whence it will again pass to the steam-generating devices, as before.When, however, through a lack ofsutlicient water running from saidchamber, asjust described, to keep up a supply in said receptacle equalto the amount drawn therefrom for evaporation, thewater therein fallsbelow the end of the pipe 0, air is thereby admitted to reservoir (1,and so venting the latter as to permit water to flow from it throughpipe i into receptacle 0 until the water in the latter rises and againcovers the lower end of pipe 0, when said flowage will cease. Thus, solong as there is a supply of water in said reservoir, thesteam-generating apparatus will be constantly and automatically suppliedtherefrom to replace anyloss from supplying chamber A with steam, asabove described.

It is obvious that it pipe 0 should terminate just above the bottom ofsaid reservoir and within thcbody of water therein, and pipei bedispensed with, that Whenever the Waterin receptacle 0 should be drawnbelow the end of pipe 0 air would rush up through it and permit water topass slowly down through it; but the fullest and most prompt supplyisobtained by having the separate pipe 'i'for water only. The end of thedrain-pipe 1] being sealed by entering receptacle 0 below its waterline,no steam from chamber A can escape through it.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- The steam-chamber A, to receive withinit the case I) of tobacco, and having the inclined tloor n and thedraitrpipe v, leading from the latter through the side of said chamber,the watenreceptacle 0, located outsideofsaid chamher, the pipe-coil 10,passing from said receptacle through a suitablestove and thence intochamber A over said inclined floor a, and having perforations thereinforthe escape of steam therefrom into said chamber, and the reservoir(1, connected with the water-supply of said rcccptacle by pipes, wherebythe lowering of the water in the latter admits air into said reservoirand allows water to flow therefrom, all combined and operatingsubstantially as set forth.

EDWIN A. BURDIOK.

\Vitnesscs:

11. A. (JIIAPIN, J. D. GARFIELD.

